It's YOUR time to access information that #BendyBodies need, crave, and deserve. Medical insights, science-based information, inspiring stories, empathy and support, hypermobility hacks, and news you can use.   In this episode, YOUR guest is gastroenterologist Leonard Weinstock, MD, author of over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles.  His extensive research on MCAS (Mast Cell Activation Syndrome) and diseases of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and colon has been presented at national...

It's YOUR time to access information that #BendyBodies need, crave, and deserve. Medical insights, science-based information, inspiring stories, empathy and support, hypermobility hacks, and news you can use.   In this episode, YOUR guest is Brianna Cardenas, DMSC, PA-C, ATC and the founder of Healed and Empowered.  Brianna courageously shares her own personal journey with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), cervical instability, spinal CSF leak, and dysautonomia, shedding light on the...

In this episode, YOUR guest is neurosurgeon, Paolo Bolognese, MD, founder of the Chiari Neurosurgical Center in New York.  Dr. Bolognese is also on the Board of Directors of the American Syringomyelia & Chiari Alliance Project, Inc. (ASAP), on the Scientific Education and Advisory Board of the Chiari Syringomyelia Foundation (CSF), and is a member of the International Consortium on EDS, HSD, and Related Disorders. The Chiari EDS Center is focused on the diagnosis and treatment of Chiari I...

It's YOUR time to access information that #BendyBodies need, crave, and deserve. Medical insights, science-based information, inspiring stories, empathy and support, hypermobility hacks, and news you can use.   In this episode, YOUR guest is Julie Robinson-Smith, DDS, diplomate of the American Board of Oral Medicine, a diplomate of the American Board of Orofacial Pain and an instructor of Orofacial Pain at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Dental Medicine.  Following dental...

It's YOUR time to access information that #BendyBodies need, crave, and deserve. Medical insights, science-based information, inspiring stories, empathy and support, hypermobility hacks, and news you can use.   In this episode, YOUR guest is Patricia Stott, DPT, physical therapist with expertise in Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes and related conditions.  Dr Stott and Dr Bluestein presented together on integrative approaches to pain management at the EDS Society Global Learning Conference in August...

It's YOUR time to access information that #BendyBodies need, crave, and deserve. Medical insights, science-based information, inspiring stories, empathy and support, hypermobility hacks, and news you can use.   In this episode, where we close out Season 3 of the podcast and kick off Season 4, YOUR guest (and host!) is Bendy Bodies founder, Dr. Linda Bluestein, the Hypermobility MD.   YOUR guest co-host – serving up questions to Dr. Bluestein – is Kate Colbert, outspoken EDS advocate,...

The lower extremities must bear the weight of our whole bodies. Problems in the hip may cause a chain reaction of aches, imbalances, or chronic issues that could manifest in the knee, ankle, or somewhere else along the kinetic chain. Continuing our series on pain with Dr. Pradeep Chopra, we explore the hips, knees, ankles and feet, diving into multiple possible causes of issues in these joints. Dr. Chopra discusses why rolling of the ankles is unhealthy, even if it’s asymptomatic, explains...

Joints of the upper extremity (eg: shoulders, elbows, fingers, etc) can be prone to subluxation and dislocation in those with joint hypermobility and/or joint instability. As we continue our discussions on common causes of pain throughout the body with Pradeep Chopra, MD, we focus on an often-overloaded area of the body: the upper extremities. Dr. Chopra breaks down the shoulder joint and its inherent instability. He gives advice on how to have hard conversations about sports that push an...

Connective tissue runs throughout your body, surrounding and connecting every system. This is what makes treating issues that arise from connective tissue disorders so difficult: when everything is connected, it’s hard to find the root cause of something. We’re in the midst of our summer series with Dr. Pradeep Chopra, renowned expert on connective tissue disorders such as Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes. In this discussion, Dr. Chopra talks through several common causes of head, neck, and chest pain...

Abdominal pain is an extremely common finding in people with connective tissue disorders, like Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS).  Similar to other issues patients face with EDS or Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders (HSD), getting answers can be challenging. Often, people go from specialist to specialist, trying to get help. Gastroenterologists, allergists, nutritionists, and pain specialists may look at abdominal pain from very different points of view. So getting complete information can be...

Travel comes with a lot of uncertainty: flights get canceled, hotel reservations are lost, luggage never turns up. But add the complications of traveling with a chronic disorder like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, and voyaging becomes even more complicated. How can you plan for contingencies, guard yourself against flares, and still have a fantastic time while traveling? The Bendy Bodies team shares their favorite tips on traveling during this round table discussion.  We share suggestions for...

Symptomatic joint hypermobility can be difficult to understand and can present in so many different ways. Recently, Victoria Daylor, Dr. Cortney Gensemer, Dr. Russell Norris, and Dr. Linda Bluestein published a CME two-part series titled “Hope for Hypermobility - An Integrative Approach to Treating Symptomatic Joint Hypermobility”. We were able to sit down with Dr. Gensemer, Ms. Daylor, and Dr. Bluestein to discuss their research and the results. They share how the collaboration came about...

Eating disorders are complicated and not uncommon in artistic athletes. Common comorbidities of symptomatic joint hypermobility (SJH), like mast cell activation disorder (MCAD) or gastroparesis, may contribute to disordered eating, which can spiral into an eating disorder. For years, eating disorders have been stigmatized and dismissed by many in the health community. To discuss this difficult topic, Bendy Bodies sat down with Dr. Jennifer Gaudiani, MD, CEDS-S, FAED, and founder of the...

Upper cervical instability (UCI) occurs quite commonly in the mild form and more rarely in the severe form in those with symptomatic generalized joint hypermobility (S-GJH).  Both can be impactful and are frequently missed.  An international team of physical / physiotherapy clinicians and a S-GJH expert rheumatologist recently published expert consensus recommendations for screening, assessing and managing patients with UCI associated with S-GJH.  Bendy Bodies sat down with first author,...

Thriving as a professional artist with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome can be challenging.  Finding a balance between pushing yourself physically and listening to your body when it needs rest is difficult when you are part of a company.  How do you push yourself to the edge of your limits, but not over them?  We asked Jenelle Manzi, a professional dancer with New York City Ballet, this very question.  Jenelle shares her stories of growing up dancing with EDS. She describes her journey as a young...

Chiropractic care has been around for over 100 years, but many people don’t quite know what it entails. Artistic athletes may be told to add regular chiropractic visits to their regimen to help relieve pain without really understanding why. How does a method best known for joint manipulation work for those with hypermobile bodies? Is it a valid treatment option? And what exactly is it, anyway? Dr. Carrie Skony is a certified chiropractic sports physician and owner of Perform Active Wellness...

Living with a chronic illness like Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) can be demoralizing. You may not have access to the care you need, loved ones do not get it, and loneliness can be a reality for so many people. Gigi Robinson was diagnosed with EDS at 11 years old, and one of the lucky ones to receive support and care from a very early age. Even so, heading off to college and needing to advocate for herself was a difficult transition. As she moved into adulthood, her natural passion for learning...

Headaches and migraines are common in many chronic illnesses, and people with hypermobility often struggle with chronic head pain for a variety of reasons. But what is the difference between migraine and other types of headache? How do you get properly evaluated?  What are the best treatments? Bendy Bodies spoke with neuro-ophthalmologist Rudrani Banik, MD in an effort to understand this complex topic. A fellowship-trained neuro-ophthalmologist certified in functional medicine, Dr. Banik...

Life with multiple chronic illnesses is physically and mentally challenging. Feelings of exhaustion and emotional fatigue crowd in with physical symptoms and can be overwhelming in your daily life. How do you find balance? How do you find a way forward and regain joy in your life? We posed these questions to Keeya Steel, founder of the popular Hells Bells and Mast Cells on social media. As someone who lives with POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome), MCAS (mast cell activation...

Dance injuries can be career ending especially for those with joint hypermobility.  Competition dance or precision performance can introduce a whole new set of challenges, whether it’s dancing as part of a team, competitive cheer, or synchronized swimming. Controlling hypermobility and matching lines requires strength, specific coaching, and proprioceptive awareness that’s not always second nature to the performer. We spoke with Monica Lorenzo, the first NBA entertainment athletic trainer who...

For most artistic athletes, competition is a part of life. Whether you’re a dancer, skater, gymnast, or cheerleader chances are you’re competing at some point. Competitions can be grueling, multi-day events consisting of 14-hour days, multiple performances, and little access to fresh whole foods. So how do you prepare for a competition, and what can you do during the event to make sure you are at the top of your game and come out of it injury-free? We decided to approach this topic from a...

Hypermobility disorders can lead to health complications that may require surgery. Joint hypermobility and associated conditions can present  complications for  surgery, anesthesia, and more. If you’re anticipating  surgery, how can you, your surgeon and anesthesia care team be as prepared as possible for those hypermobile “quirks”? Bendy Bodies founder Dr. Linda Bluestein spent years in the operating room as a top anesthesiologist. We asked her for advice on this often-overlooked aspect of...

Dance and other performing arts are, by nature, stressful. Stress can easily develop into anxiety, which is exponentially more common in the hypermobile population than the general population. How can you distinguish between stress and anxiety? What can you do to manage your anxiety? When is it time to seek outside help? We asked these questions and more of Jo-Anne La Flèche, a clinical and dance psychologist with a Masters in Somatics. Jo-Anne defines the difference between stress and...

As the weather changes and schedules become busier, staying healthy can feel like a huge challenge. Artistic athletes may struggle to keep their bodies at optimal performance level, and fighting off infectious illnesses may seem like an uphill battle. How can we naturally strengthen our immune system, supporting its function for optimum success? We posed this question to Kristin Koskinen, RDN and Bendy Bodies team member, in this episode. Kristin shares why dancers and other performing...

As a young dancer, Jazz Bynum enjoyed the benefits of being “bendy”.   Later, she experienced more than her fair share of injuries but it wasn’t clear how these could be connected. A diagnosis of hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) gave Jazz the information necessary to build the resiliency and strength she needs as a professional dancer with Ballet West. Jazz chats with Bendy Bodies about navigating her dance career while addressing her body’s unique needs with hEDS. Jazz discusses her...